Air Quality Information

for the Sacramento Region

Brought to you by the Sacramento Metropolitan, El Dorado,
Feather River, Placer and Yolo-Solano Air Districts

AQI Forecast by County

Saturday, June 06

Sat

Sun

El Dorado

41

45

Placer

41

44

Sacramento

39

45

Yolo-Solano

32

37

Air Quality Map

The map below is a 1-hour snapshot. Click to view all hours recorded since midnight.

Health Effects

Overall Health Effects

Even healthy people can experience health impacts from polluted air including respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities.
Your actual risk of adverse effects depends on your current health status, the pollutant type and concentration, and the length of your exposure to the polluted air.

High air pollution levels can cause immediate health problems including:

Aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness

Added stress to heart and lungs, which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen

Damaged cells in the respiratory system

Long-term exposure to polluted air can have permanent health effects such as:

Accelerated aging of the lungs

Loss of lung capacity and decreased lung function

Development of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer

Shortened life span

Those most susceptible to severe health problems from air pollution are:

Health Effects from Specific Pollutants

Ground-level Ozone

Ground-level ozone is formed when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) react with the sun's ultraviolet rays. The primary source of VOCs and NOx is mobile sources, including cars, trucks, buses, construction equipment and agricultural equipment.

Ground-level ozone reaches its highest level during the afternoon and early evening hours. High levels occur most often during the summer months. It is a strong irritant that can cause constriction of the airways, forcing the respiratory system to work harder in order to provide oxygen.

It can also cause other health problems including:

Aggravated respiratory disease such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma

Lung damage, even after symptoms such as coughing or a sore throat disappear

Wheezing, chest pain, dry throat, headache or nausea

Reduced resistance to infections

Increased fatigue

Weakened athletic performance

Particulate Matter (PM) and Wildfire Smoke

Particulate Matter is a complex mixture that may contain soot, smoke, metals, nitrates, sulfates, dust, water and tire rubber. It can be directly emitted, as in smoke from a fire, or it can form in the atmosphere from reactions of gases such as nitrogen oxides.

The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles (known as PM2.5 or fine particulate matter) pose the greatest problems because they bypass the body’s natural defenses and can get deep into your lungs and potentially your bloodstream. Exposure to such particles can affect both your lungs and your heart.

Long-term exposure to particulate pollution can result in significant health problems including:

Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing

Decreased lung function

Aggravated asthma

Development of chronic respiratory disease in children

Development of chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive lung disease

Irregular heartbeat

Nonfatal heart attacks

Premature death in people with heart or lung disease, including death from lung cancer